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Chapter 2: Unusual…

After we introduced ourselves, we walked over to our downtown coffee house. As we walked in I bought us some drinks and we settled down in one of their rooms. After taking a few sips of our drinks we decided to play 20 Questions. I started out by questioning her,

"Favorite letter of the alphabet?" She made a quizzical face at me and said, "Z, because it is a very uncommon letter. It doesn't pop up in many words."

I smiled, "Never thought of it that way. Hobbies?"

"Drawing, volleyball, basketball, reading, and most of all listening to my music!" She smiled at me and then added, "There are some other little things that I do but they don't really stand out." I nodded my head, "Basketball? I play that too! Maybe we can have some one on one time. See how much talent you have…" She laughed, "Me? I've got loads of it!" She added a cocky motion for effect. "Nah, I'm just joshing around. What's the next question?"

I tapped my chin for effect, "Hmm, so many ways to torture you…" She laughed at my stupidity, "Random, pink or green elephant?"

She stared at me for a second, "You are really a strange, strange guy. I'd say a pink because an elephant can turn green by rolling in the grass. Well sort of, I guess it depends on the grass. If it's artificial then yeah, but if it is real grass, possibly. Kinda like when you get grass stains on your pants and knees, you know what I'm talking about? But if the real grass is facing a drought then pink is the most definite color for an elephant."

I smirked at her, "And I'm the strange one?" I laughed at her, "Just kidding. So does pink go for your favorite color too?"

She shook her head violently, "Hell no. Pink is the perfect color to make an object, like an elephant, stand out or have a ridiculous meaning. I like a mixture of peach and red. That or green and blue, I like to mix things up. Try new things, but it's not a matter of being different for me. It's a matter of finding something that tickles my fancy. You know what I mean Vern?"

I stared at her, "Tickles my fancy? Vern? Joshing around? My god, where do you get those phrases? Hold that thought," I put my hand up for emphasis. "I don't want to know. I fear that I will never be the same ever again." She laughed at me.

"I was just going to say I get them off of crossover movies." I blanked, "Crossover movies?"

She nodded, "Yeah, the era of films between the black and white pictures and hi-def colors, like Sure Thing, 10 Things I About You, Dirty Dancing, ect. Ever heard of those?" I nodded, "Sure but I never thought of calling them crossover movies. But it fits."

"Moving on, your last name is Ghirardelli, so you must be related to the original creator of this company, stop me if I'm wrong, what's your favorite kind of chocolate?"

"Well, my great-great-great-great grandfather," she counted the greats on her fingers as she was saying them, "Started the company. So I actually have some knowledge in the chocolate field. But I have to say that my favorite is the original caramel with milk chocolate coating." She rubbed her tummy in delight as effect.

"So your father is currently running the company?"

She shook her head as a look of darkness overcame her face. "My dreadful uncle does. He is the oldest of the family, so therefore he inherited the company. My dad inherited three quarters of the fortune. Counting the fact that my Uncle has had such success in running the company, with only a quarter of the fortune he is richer than my dad, because profits are skyrocketing.

"So my dad is a stay at home dad, we have no need to work. It's not like we are reckless spenders. We hardly ever splurge, I mean, I use higher quality clothes and accessories, I can get professional waxes, massages, and salon care and such but it's not like I spend everyday shopping." I nodded my head.

"Yeah, same here." I added sarcastically. She threw a pillow at me, "Loser."

"Next question, your dad is a stay-at-home Dad. What about your mom?"

She looked glum when she answered, "I don't know my mom. Her and my dad went their separate ways when I was just a day over 9 months. After I stopped needing breast-feeding she hit the road and didn't look back. But she still gives me a present for each year until I turn 18. When I turned 4 I remember getting a limited edition Barbie doll. It was a Filipino doll with long black wavy hair. She was wearing a red gown that ran down to her knees. She was the most beautiful that I had ever seen. I left her on her stand by my bed ever since, even now it is still there. My dad said that she looks sort of like her." She smiled.

I studied her face for emotions that she was hiding. It was as if she was at ease with not having a mother figure in her life. "What about the rest of your birthdays?"

"When I was 6 I received this," She showed me the necklace that she was wearing. It was a silver chain with a single charm of a moon. "I only take it off for games, and getting wet. At 7, I was given a scrapbook of her and my dad when they were dating up until they got married.

"Turning 9 somehow she knew that I was passionate about volleyball and I got volleyball bag that had the essentials in it. Spandex, shoes, socks, kneepads, a jersey with the number six on it with the name Ghirardelli across the top of it, I also got some wrapping tape. Some how she predicted that I would have a weak wrist. And she was right, soon after I made the school team and did some hardcore setting, my wrist got dislocated. Some muscles and tendons got mixed up, causing me to crack my wrist.

"Well I ignored it and just taped it up and played on it. Well soon, I covering the blocker and the ball got by her and came down at me. I managed to hit it up and get it over, but that ball hit my wrist in the weakest part and broke it for good.

"The doctor told me that it was a displaced fracture, and it was also a hairline fracture. The displaced fracture required surgery, 8 weeks in a cast, 4 weeks in a splint, and 6 weeks in rehab. In other words, I was out for the whole volleyball season and half of basketball season." I winced in pain.

"Wow. You have had a tough little volleyball career. I'm sorry. But what about the rest of your birthdays?"

She sighed, "Of course, when I turned 10, I got a pair of jeans that she wore when she was my age. Of course they were too small on me but I loved them. They were dark skinny jeans with metallic silver stitching there were patches on the thighs, butt pockets and on the lower leg. I still have the jeans, there is a smiley face, four leaf clover, peace sign, a purple heart, and stars. They are awesome. I'll wear them the next time we hang out.

"Reaching 11 years; I received her dairy. She is an excellent writer; she loved writing poems and songs. I gave them notes and transformed them into an album. I played the guitar while I sang to them. When I recorded the songs, I added drumming and bass for special effects. I still have the album and listen to it every once in a while.

"When I turned 12 I got a book that she loved, Pride and Prejudice, I have read that book at least 60 times. It's a fantabulous book. I love it so much.

"Last year I received a tablet and an iPhone, I know that they just came out but I got this limited edition preview of it. It's silver with glitter and sparkles. The tablet is yellow with frog green polka dots on it. I have that stuff at home.

"This year she gave me an iTouch, with my favorite music already on it. There were music videos and everything. I love it, on the back she engraved Lia Ghirardelli mi hija I have that at home too."

I stared at her, "Does your mom live nearby? Or talk to your father? Because that's just freaky that she knows all of this." Lia smiled, "I think that her and my dad talk, like, once or twice a year. But other than that I have no clue"

I nodded encouragingly, "Okay, status in a relationship?" She rolled her eyes at my question. "Oh fly, everyone asks me that. I am currently single. I'm not allowed to date. Not until I receive my permit. But guys ask me that all the time."

She mocked them, "Why aren't you flirting back with me? What don't I have? Some guy is really lucky that you are so loyal to him. Blah, blah, blah, seriously that is so annoying." I smiled sympathetically.

"Ok, I've figured out that you are fourteen. Where do you go to school?" She said in a monotone voice, "The school for the academically gifted. Approved by the state of New Mexico. Barf." I laughed at her boredom. "Smart, and unusual? Wow, your teachers must be pulling their hair out right now."

She smirked, "The majority of them are already bald and haven't fully recovered from my mom being their student. They even say that I'm a ghost that has come back to haunt them for being scared of her. I get a good laugh out of it."

I chuckled, "Who do you play volleyball for?" She straightened out her sweat pants, and showed me the legs of them, "League of New Mexico. JO." I looked confused, "JO?" She nodded, "Yeah, Junior Olympics. When I first joined, at 12, we were Division I. But then Division I became JO, Division II or lower became AAU, Amateur Athletic Union. We are the 3 time West Coast Champions, our team name is the tigers."

"Neat. Celebrity crush?" She answered in a heartbeat, "Joe Jonas. He is the hottie-super-bum!" I laughed at her gushiness. "Favorite TV show?" she thought about it, "Either Charmed or What I Like About You. I'm into chick TV shows and movies. But my music is a mixture of Simple Plan, 3 Days Grace, Hannah Montana, Hilary Duff, Johnny Cash, Green Day, and Disney stars. I have a really unusual taste in music. But what else is new?"

I nodded my head in agreement with her. "Favorite movie?" she smiled, "White Chicks, or RENT."

"Pet Peeve?" I asked her. "Leaving my homework undone, that and not smelling good, and not getting at least 8 hours of sleep. Girls gotta have her z's."

I laughed at her, "Yeah, I know what you mean. Lowest grade you have ever made on a report card?" "Umm, I think it was an 89 or and 88. I can't remember." She answered.

My jaw dropped. "Damn. You ain't kidding when you said that you are in an AG school. The lowest that I have ever made is 65. And that was still considered good, for me! I envy you…" She chuckled. "It's a matter of being determined."

"Yeah, so I've heard. Diet soda or soda?" She laughed, "Diet. Because," she stretched out the because, "If I get a diet soda, I can get a cheeseburger without having to worry about my intake of calories."

"Why are you so worried about the calories that you consume?" She rolled her eyes, "My doctor said that since I am naturally skinny that my body can't take as much calories as a person with an average body and weight. So my limit on calories is 1,650. But for some reason, I don't even eat that much. I eat about 1,250 a day. And that is on a day that I'm not practicing. If I'm practicing or playing a game that day I'll eat up to my limit because I need that extra energy. Catch my drift?"

I nodded in understanding, "Okay, I have 2 questions left. One is what do you want to be when you grow up, aside from being a pro volleyball player. And the other one is Beach or the Mountains."

She nodded, "The Mountains. And I'd like to go into interior design." She sighed and took a long sip from her drink. "Finally, I'm am free!" I laughed at her. "So do you want to quiz me now?" She shook her head, "I'm going to space them out and ask you when you least expect it." I groan, "I have a feeling that I should be afraid." She laughed and shook her head, "Nah, just on guard." We finished our drinks with small talk and I walked her home and gave her a hug and we exchanged numbers.

"Bye big bro." She returned the hug, "Bye little sis." I turned around and walked away after making sure that she got inside. When I got home, I walked into my dad's office.

"Well, Troy, how did it go?" I smiled warmly, and I felt my eye twinkle. "I am really thankful that you did this for me. I love you." I gave him a hug, he returned it and said, "I love you too son." I released after a minute or two. I sat on his desk, "Up for a game?" I challenged, gesturing towards the court. He smiled, "Always. Meet you out there in 5."

Ended in a father/son moment. Aww! Haha. BTW a displaced fracture is a fracture in which the pieces on either side of the break are out of line (which might require surgery to make sure the bones are properly aligned before casting), and a hairline fracture is a thin break in the bone. She broke her wrist with the displaced fracture. Her arm had a hairline fracture though. I know that this story may seem pointless right now but soon it will turn into a plotted story. But for now, R&R!!

Thanx,

Cinderella317